Colonel Heath W. Frye is the Commander, 22nd Mission Support Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, where he leads more than 1,400 military and civilian Airmen in six squadrons to provide base support for the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, the Kansas Air National Guard’s 184th Wing, and the Air Force Reserve Command’s 931st Air Refueling Wing. Colonel Frye is responsible for an annual budget of $98 million and $312 million in physical assets supporting base security; force protection; crash/structural fire protection; emergency / disaster preparedness and response; logistics, supply, and transportation; communications and cyber operations; morale, welfare, and recreation programs; permanent and temporary housing, mortuary affairs, and contracting.
Previously, Colonel Frye came from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington D.C., where he acted as the Chief of Staff for the Chief Information Security Officer of Acquisition and Sustainment. He led 82 joint personnel and a $30 million budget to improve the cybersecurity of the Defense Industrial Base, the Department’s supply chain, weapon systems, and critical infrastructure.
Colonel Frye received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1997.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1998 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Advanced Army Combat Skills Training, Camp Shelby, Miss.
2006 Certificate in Business Intelligence, Trident University, Cali.
2007 Summa Cum Laude, Master of Science in IT Management, Trident University, Cali.
2008 Advanced Air Mobility Operations Course, McGuire AFB, NJ.
2008 Air Command and Staff College (in correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Advanced Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2010 Certified Information Systems Security Professional, (ISC)2, Vienna, Va.
2010 Certified Senior Systems Manager, Naval Postgraduate School, Cali.
2010 Certified Systems Certifier, Naval Postgraduate School, Cali.
2010 Master of Arts in Security Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Cali.
2011 Cyber 300, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
2011 Certified Ethical Hacker, EC Council, Albuquerque, NM.
2011 Certified Network Defense Architect, EC Council, Albuquerque, NM.
2012 Outstanding Graduate, Air War College (in correspondence), Air University, Ala.
2018 Masters of Science in National Security and Cyberspace Studies, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2020 Doctor of Philosophy in Information Security and Assurance, Capella University, Minneapolis, Minn.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1997 – February 1998, Adjutant to the Commander, 65th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2. February 1998 – August 1999, Chief of Configuration Management, 65th Communications Squadron, Los Angeles AFB, Cali.
3. August 1999 – August 2001, Chief of DMS Implementation, AF Space Command, HQ Standard Systems Group, Gunter Annex, Ala.
4. August 2001 – June 2003, Project Manager, Defense Message System, HQ Standard Systems Group, Gunter Annex, Ala.
5. June 2003 – October 2003, Information Assurance, HQ Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Ha.
6. October 2003 – March 2005, Executive Officer, 715th Air Mobility Operations Group, Hickam AFB, Ha.
7. March 2005 – May 2006, Commander, Information Systems Flight, 15th Communications Squadron, Hickam AFB, Ha.
8. May 2005 – September 2005, (Deployed) Executive Officer, 401st Air Expeditionary Wing, Aviano AB, Italy
9. May 2006 – May 2007, Afghan Ministry of Defense Mentor for Communications Security, Kabul, Afghanistan
10. June 2007 – August 2008, Executive Officer, 375th Airlift Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
11. August 2008 – September 2009, Chief of Deployed Communications, HQ AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
12. September 2009 – December 2010, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Cali.
13. January 2011 – May 2011, Information Sciences Instructor, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Cali.
14. June 2011 – June 2013, Commander, 28th Communications Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, SD.
15. July 2013 – April 2015, Chief, Communications Operations Division and Network Operations and Security Center, Air Force Central Command, Shaw AFB, SC.
16. May 2015 – May 2016, Commander, 455th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan
17. July 2016 – August 2017, Chief, Customer Relations Branch, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
18. August 2017 – June 2018, Student, National Defense University, Washington D.C.
19. June 2018 – August 2018, Deputy, Communications and Networks Directorate, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
20. September 2018 – December 2018, Deputy, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconaisance Directorate, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
21. December 2018 – March 2020, Division Chief, Cybersecurity Acquisitions, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
22. March 2020 – June 2021, Chief of Staff, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
23. June 2021 – Present, Commander, 22 Mission Support Group, McConnell AFB, Kan
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
2nd Lieutenant May 28, 1997
1st Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major Jan 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel Apr 1, 2012
Colonel Sep 1, 2018
(Current as of June 2021)